Conference rdvax::grateful

    count me out!! I'm goin skiing under a full moon this weekend
and will pray to the god of winter that more white stuff falls. 
    
    Wanna get rid of that winter stress???? slap a pair of skinny skis on
    and get out in to it!!!!
    
rfb
    
    (ps -- why don't ya'll move outa NE then ;^) )?

Yeah, I spend too much time cooped up in winter...



 I like the idea of having a party and wearing summer type attire and listenig
to Jimmy Buffett tunes and drinking margaritas and conga lines and stuff, and
talking about how hot it is outside :^)






Jim

 Re .1  You're outtahere :^)








 Jim

	If you want to get a taste of spring activities, join me for
	a deep sea fishing trip on Feb 9th!!  
	
	Ken

 





       Lisa, count me in!!!!!

Shawn

re:     <<< Note 234.2 by CSLALL::HENDERSON "Got some things to talk about" >>>

>drinking margaritas and conga lines and stuff

    Sounds just like one of our winter campin' trips! Gotta be careful
    not to step on the person in front of you's snowshoes though, or
    it domino-faceplant time. :-)
    

    a FISHIN TRIP!!!  Now yer talkin!!!!
    
    rfb who'd rather fish than fu...never mind...

no skis, no snowshoes  ... that's winter attire.

Although the thought of dominoe face plants is pretty entertaining.  :-)

    
    Lets have a cookout!!!!!!
    
    Several years ago, on a Friday in mid-March, the weather was slightly
    (*just* slightly) warmer than normal.  I quickly drummed up enthusiasm
    among my party-happy co-workers (yes, you guessed it, I wasn't working
    for DEC at the time), and we had a cookout at my house (my roomates,
    who owned the house, were in California that week :^).  What a blast!!
    Very big turnout on less than a day's notice.....the point was, we
    ignored winter and had a great time.  We cooked-out.....ate inside.
    
    Sorry, can't do it this weekend :^)
    
    But we will.....and since my apartment is too small and on a crowded
    street, we're going to have our first winter cookout at Lisa's!! :^)
    :^) :^)
    
    BYOM (Bring Your Own Mittens)
    
    Hogan  
                                                                       

I'd be up for, as long as it doesn't interfere with any of my ski trips 8^)


Scott

PS - IT'S SNOWING IN MARLBORO!!!!!!!!!!!

I've found that if I force myself to take a walk outside when the sun is
out, no matter how cold, it picks up my spirits ... maybe something to do
with that Seasonal Aadfadf;kadf;df Disorder (affliction?) ...

Also I think I tend to do my indoor exercises less during the winter, for
some reason, and I've found that if I keep up my normal schedule I feel better.

Anyways, I like Lisa's idea.  We used to do that in school during the
winter months ... cover someone's dorm room floor with sand, play the B-52s
(wasn't listening to the Dead then 8^O), etc.

- Dave

    Lisa and your friend Jim..et all ...join the L Street Brownies you wear
    a bathing suit and go for a nice swim in Boston Harbor...and I bet
    you can bring your frisbee.
    
    rich

    hey, count me in...  people tell me i live in a fantasy anyways...
    why not a summer party in winter time!  (but not this weekend please)
    
    				da ve_who_could_deal_with_margeuritaville_
    				thank_you_very_much

  <<< Note 234.14 by ESKIMO::DWEST "Dont Overlook Something Extraordinary" >>>
		     ^^^^^^

Hey now da ve, that's a nice, spring-like node ya got there!  8^)

Scott

> but I don't feel
> the carefree release/relief that makes a day so much more pleasant ... unless
> the day is "spring-like".

Strapping a couple 6 foot long pieces of fiberglass to my feet and hitting warp
speed down the side of a mountain gives me the release/relief you're looking
for.  Though I've gotta admit, if I'm doing the above when it's 60 degrees and
sunny, it's even better!!!

> SO, who would like to join us?  By the way, we ARE serious.  Anyone have any
> ideas how to get what we are after 

Hey, but count me in anyway!  I love the spring, too!  I like the idea.  It's
sorta like an escape from reality!  Kinda like a chrismas-party-in-July in 
reverse!  I like it, I like it.

I don't know about local fire laws, but if someone has some property you could
start a big bonfire, bury a keg in the 'sand', and have a good old-fashioned
clam bake...

Now, I'm in the mood for some marg's, and some Jimmy B''

...."So barmaid, bring a pitcher,
     Another round of brew.
     Why don't we get drunk,
     and scr...."

Dave

    
    'fraid not Scott...  the ol' nose is gettin' a little chilly...
    
    'course, if there are any lovely young ladies who would like to come
    down to the cove this evening, i would be willing to discuss the
    possibility of a warming trend! :^)
    
    					da ve

>    'course, if there are any lovely young ladies who would like to come
			       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
	being one of the two founders of this note I have to know,
	are you talking to me or Jim?  :-)
    

    you tell me...
    
    		"sugar nose!"   :^)
    
    					da ve

 Geeze, why did I mention Jimmy Buffet?  I've got a buncha his tunes running
through my mind now :^)






 "Smell those shrimp they're beginning to boil"




 Jim

Sugarnose????

:-)

well, maybe I'll tell you tonight.  Just maybe, sorry.  I have had a week and
a half and although I know that's the perfect reason to let off steam tonight
I also know I'll be back in here tomorrow.....

     I love this idea!  Although I must confess to liking snow...I really
    dislike being COLD!!!  Sitting around the Bar-B in my shorts, sipping
    on marguaritas, and ejoying some rays to the sounds of Jimmy Buffett
    sounds wonderful to me...when's the party...I'm there... :-)
    
                DaveB.

			<next unseen>





	But hey, if a party is gonna happen, I'l done some late fall
	clothes and join the fun!

	:-)

    Re.
    	Da ve: "Lovely YOUNG women"
    	Lisa : "Me or Jim?" 
    
    	Lisa, I'm surrised this wasn't obvious to you.. :-)
    
    	While you were thinking up this note I was cathcing glimpses of Mt
    Washington and neighbors in a bright morning sun while my tape deck 
    played, "Sunshine day dream
    	    Walkin in the tall trees
    	    Goin' where the wind blows
    	    Bloomin blooming like a red rose"  etc. 
    			And it finally was revealed to me that this song
    was actually written about a day trip of skiing!  
    And snow fall always makes me smile {B*). 
    
    	I'd be happy to join your party, but for me to not mention the
    season would be as difficult as not saying sailing or skiing. And if
    you're going to play jimmy buffet you gotta hear about sailing.
    
     You know, the America's cup defender trials are taking place now.
    	Geoff

    Hmm,.. not so sure I agre with your interpretation of Sunshine Daydream
    there,..
    
    Skiing can be orgasmic I'll grant you,.. but I thnik they were
    referring to a slightly different kind of orgasm there :-0
    
    						/
    

    Ya' think so???  I don't know. I suppose it's got to do with what's
    availible to you. Interpretation that is. 
    
    One thing I wanted to warn about for this party, that I learned from 
    ignoring winter a long time ago. Leave your best Frisbees at home in
    the warm, 'cause the first tip of a cold one 'll send it in two
    directions kinda shaped like a half a ying-yang. It's pretty cool when
    it happens, but ya' can't do it with that one any more. It's the nice 
    thick 165g type that crack the best, the lighter ones just break into
    pieces.
           But you can get a great skip off a frozen parking lot and the
    same makes for some dramtic catches.
    
    Geoff      

re Frozen Frisbees

We used to have these in Wisconsin during the winter. Once they stopped 
steaming and froze they flew real nice. ;-)

:-Chuck

    Ok, so you want to think Spring, huh? Some of us thought we should
    pinpoint a weekend for the dechead Kamping Trip NOW before people 
    *really* started to make plans for spring. :-) 
    
    Therefore, the 5th Annual dechead Kamping Trip will be the weekend of 
    May 9th at Mt. Greylock State Reservation at the group site in Sperry 
    Campground at the cul-de-sac on the end of Sperry Road. Be there or
    be somewhere else. ;-)

BEWARE - DECWORLD (4/27-5/15).

    re: decworld
    
    Nevertheless, it's traditionally the second weekend in May unless
    the majority deem it otherwise.

>BEWARE - DECWORLD (4/27-5/15).

Right.  And masterfully scheduled right around spring DECUS (5/2-5/8). :-{

...stretching tight resources to the breaking poing.

	~dave

How about last w-end in April ?  I don't want to be breakfast/lunch/dinner for
swarms of blackflies!

Jest pointing it out Ger, 'tis all.  Myself, I hope to escape weekend 
DEATHWOR..er..DECWORLD duties this time around.

Scott

>      <<< Note 234.32 by ZENDIA::FERGUSON "Guinness gives you strength" >>>
>                                 -< Earlier? >-

>How about last w-end in April ?  I don't want to be breakfast/lunch/dinner for
>swarms of blackflies!

	JAYCEEEEEEEEEE?!? didn't we hear this from you last year, huh?
	weeellllll, we ended up having a WONDERFUL weekend with
	absoLUTEly NO bugs...(and we laughed about you worrying about
	them, well, like, a LOT!) ;-) ;-) ;-)

	[but, not to worry, JC, blackflies don't really come out up
	in northern NH until the end of May]

	Debess

	oh - is this place IN northern NH, Ger?  anyways, I plan
	on being there...

    Mt. Greylock Rez is in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. 
    
    The weekend is, as traditional, the 2nd weekend in May unless
    decreed otherwise by a majority of potential attendees. The reason
    for choosing that weekend originally was because it's a bit early for 
    the black fly feeding frenzy, it's post-mud season and pre-toorist season.

	Last year, don't remember exactly when, Deb and I went on a hike in
the Whites and she got really chowed by the blackflies!  Lots and lots of
little red bloody spots all over her neck.  So, if there is any doubt in
my mind about blackflies being around, chances are I won't go .. for Deb's
sake.

	In western MA, there might be blackflies at that time.

      <<< Note 234.36 by ZENDIA::FERGUSON "Guinness gives you strength" >>>
                       -< She gets really nailed by 'em >-

I find that if I gob enough black fly stuff on me and more importantly 
I don't shower the day/weekend I'm going to be there that they sort of 
just hover about me and don't bother me.  The spots they go for are
around the corner's of my eyes and behind my ears.  I hate the little
son of a guns too.  I think they are attracted to scent so that's where
the showering stuff comes in.  

It's always nice to reach back to scratch behind your ear and come back
with blood :(

But I agree those are pesky little devils.
bob

The best way to avoid black flies...

* Do not use soap, especially perfumed soap for three days before going to the 
woods.

* For 3 - 4 weeks before going to the woods increase your intake of garlic to 
at least 3 cloves/day.

* For 3 - 4 weeks before going to the woods eliminate as much as possible your 
intake of refined sugars

* For 3 - 4 weeks before going to the woods make your primary beverage Lemon 
water (NOT LEMONADE!!!) and straight water. 


Please note that Avon's Skin So Soft is meant to be dilutted by at least 100-1 
in bath water and can be harmful to your health if used in its concentrated 
form on your skin.

Also please note that bug repellants containing DEET will eat the finish off 
of a guitar in approximately 15 seconds or less. Imagine what it does to your 
body. If you must use these repellants it is best to use them on clothes and 
hats and not directly on the skin.

Have fun,

Geoff

re:      <<< Note 234.36 by ZENDIA::FERGUSON "Guinness gives you strength" >>>
   
>In western MA, there might be blackflies at that time.

    Cripes, JC! I wouldn't schedule something during black fly feeding season!
    The object is to *avoid* it. FWIW, The campground is over 2300'. That's 
    much higher than Tripoli road. Blackflies will be probably be around but 
    not in feeding stage until late May. Why do you think we try to schedule 
    it for week 2, May? April is too early and it'll be too cold up there
    for some people. Wait longer in May and you'll surely be on the menu.

RE:  <<< Note 234.38 by AIMHI::KELLER "The BoR, Void Where Prohibited by law" >>>
              -< Ways to avoid black flies... They really work! >-



>* For 3 - 4 weeks before going to the woods increase your intake of garlic to 
>at least 3 cloves/day.


 Alright! Now that I can do with no problem :^)






 Jim "garlichead" H

	uh oh.. here she comes agin with the same request she has
	EVERY year...

	May 10 is Mother's Day...and happens to be around the
	birthdays of a few mothers in my family...so we always
	combine the occasions and have a big family get-together
	on that day...

	that said, I was hoping to sway folks to pick the weekend
	before or after.  As far as tradition is concerned - I
	know it wasn't the 2nd weekend in May last year cause I	
	was there and if it was I wouldn't have been...

	Debess

re:  <<< Note 234.38 by AIMHI::KELLER "The BoR, Void Where Prohibited by law" >>>

> Please note that Avon's Skin So Soft is meant to be dilutted by at least 100-1 
> in bath water and can be harmful to your health if used in its concentrated 
> form on your skin.

Geoff, lots of people use this stuff on kids, mine included last summer
(except if I'm around - I can't stand the stuff!).   Where did you get
the info that it can be harmful ?   Any more info ?  Or is this more
of an opinion ?

Ken

re: <<< Note 234.41 by XANADU::GRABAZS "dry your eyes on the wind" >>>

>that said, I was hoping to sway folks to pick the weekend
>before or after.  
    
    After Mother's day is likely to be din-din time for Black flies.
    
    >As far as tradition is concerned - I know it wasn't the 2nd weekend in 
    >May last year cause I was there and if it was I wouldn't have been...

    The 2nd weekend in May was voted out last year, remember? Hence the
    reason JC didn't want to go (black flies). Like I said, majority rules
    but don't say I didn't warn people about when the most hospitable
    weekend is. B4 week 2 (or week 1) May and the mud'll suck the boots
    right off your feet. Much after that and it's dinnertime an we'll be
    the main course. Week 1 in May might still be even a little cold in 
    the mountains. 
    
    - Gerry

>          <<< Note 234.42 by FURTHR::HANNAN "Beyond description..." >>>
>                              -< Skin-So-Smelly >-
>
>re:  <<< Note 234.38 by AIMHI::KELLER "The BoR, Void Where Prohibited by law" >>>
>
>> Please note that Avon's Skin So Soft is meant to be dilutted by at least 100-1 
>> in bath water and can be harmful to your health if used in its concentrated 
>> form on your skin.
>
>Geoff, lots of people use this stuff on kids, mine included last summer
>(except if I'm around - I can't stand the stuff!).   Where did you get
>the info that it can be harmful ?   Any more info ?  Or is this more
>of an opinion ?
>
>Ken


i can't remember where I read this bit of information but it was in a fairly 
upstanding magazine (ie. Mother Earth, or Harrowsmith or something of the 
sort)

Geoff

re:  <<< Note 234.38 by AIMHI::KELLER "The BoR, Void Where Prohibited by law" >>>
   >           -< Ways to avoid black flies... They really work! >-

    Maybe for you . . . I seem to have this misfortune of smelling like
    lunch to the critters.  :^)  :^)
    
    Basically, most bugs are attracted to you (at close range) because of
    your carbon dioxide output.  DEET works because its molecule fits the
    bugs' CO2 receptors and fools them into thinking they're moving away
    from CO2 rather than closer.  DEET (and other bug juices) does not make
    you less palatable to them, and if they find you they'll still suck. 
    I'm not sure how or why any of the folk remedies work, but I haven't
    had any luck with them.  I found Skin-So-Soft to be by far the worst of
    the lot, for it not only didn't repel the bugs, I couldn't stand the
    perfumey smell!

    Here's my advice on avoiding blackflies:
    
    Stay home from mid May to mid August.  You'll avoid the hottest weather
    and the worst of the tourists too.
    
    Wear light colored clothing, long pants, long sleeved shirts, gloves,
    and a head net.  Rubber bands can be used to get a good seal around the
    ankles and wrists.
    
    Keep moving during the day, then stay in a tent 'til dark.  Blackflies
    are much less active during the night; I don't know if it's because
    it's cooler or if they're afraid of the dark.  Last year we had to give
    up and go home from a WMNF backpacking trip because of BFs (I threw in
    the towel after getting several bites on each eyelid), but we were able
    to sit out unprotected at night.
    
    Learn to live with them.  Haven't been able to yet.
    
    After you're bitten despite following all these precautions, I find
    that Benadryl, a combination topical analgesic/antihistamine, helps. 
    For severe reactions (my mother is very allergic to BF bites), take
    antihistamines, such as Actifed or Seldane.  Topical ointments
    containing greater amounts of hydrocortisone (I think that's what the
    anti-itch stuff is) were recently approved and should be on the market
    soon, so there's hope.
    
>Also please note that bug repellants containing DEET will eat the finish off 
>of a guitar in approximately 15 seconds or less. Imagine what it does to your 
>body.  If you must use these repellants it is best to use them on clothes and 
>hats and not directly on the skin.

    It dissolves styrofoam too, but tests have shown it to be safe for
    human use (I know how much faith you have in government approvals,
    Geoff :^)  :^)).  Still, I agree about using it on clothes if you can.
    
    There is one good thing about the black flies: they need healthy
    running streams to breed, and their numbers have increased as our
    waterways have become cleaner.  So, lotsa the little bastards means
    clean water nearby, if that's any consolation.
    
    Jamie

    re DEET eating the finsh off your guitar...
    
    	Well, then how does one protect one's axe from the black flies?
    
    	:-)
    
    	Ya know,.. JC started playing guitar,.. so now he has double black
    fly worries...
    
    	:-)
    							/

    Out here we don't have black flies...just skeeters and deer/elk/horse
    flies and some no-see-ums...NOTHING like it sounds like back east,
    we use Cutters..seems to work the best.
    
    rfb

re:                      <<< Note 234.47 by CLOSUS::BARNES >>>
   
    >                        -< No Cutters back east? >-
    
    Cutters is pretty much DEET.
    
    >Out here we don't have black flies...just skeeters and deer/elk/horse
    >flies and some no-see-ums...
    
    Out here, no-see-ums are more voracious than black flies. People often
    lump the two together despite the relatively large difference in size.
    
    >NOTHING like it sounds like back east,
    
    IMHO, I don't think it's as bad as people make it out to be. But then
    again, they rarely bother me. 

	BUGS are the biggest reason why summer and spring are my least 
favorite seasons.  If they took bugs off the spring/summer menu, I might 
like it more.  I just hate bugs!  It'll take coldness over bugs, anytime, 
anyplace.

	Whatever ya'll decide to do is cool w/ me.  If it works out for me,
I'll go ... otherwise, I be kickin' back... waiting for fall to come so I
can camp w/o the &^$^@#@ bugs!

 I ain't no big fan o' bugs (tm) but I prefer them to slippin' and slidin'
whilst trying to get to work, or scraping ice and freezing drizzle off my
car, etc.





 Jim (who in case you didn't know is no fan o' winter)

Comment #1:	Sheesh, whatta bunch-O weenies.  :-)

Comment #2:	No refined sugar????  Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!!!!!!!

	I here ya JC... I can't handle black flies and mosquitoes
	either.   When they arrive it's like, oh well, looks like I'll
	be getting out less now :-/  I get out more in the colder 
	weather, without application of chemicals all over exposed skin.

	The bugs bother some people more than others depending on the
	reaction to the bug bite.   My ears get hit badly, and tend to 
	triple in size and get beet red and sore and itchy as all hell 
	due to black fly bites, not pleasant at all!

	Mosquito bites just plain itch and itch and itch.   Though I think
	I'm finally developing more of a resistance.

	Seldane and/or antihistamines I take daily and they don't seem
	to help bug bites but then again, maybe it'd be worse without em.
	
	Ken

BF's and no-see-ums -- another grate reason for moving to Colorado, there
aren't any!!!  Nyah-nyah-nyah!!!  I didn't see any last year and I think I may
have killed maybe 5 or 6 mosquito's at my house all year (~7300', but not too
far from a creek) :^)  Also spent lotsa time in the high country kayaking and
didn't encountered any bugs to mention :^)  Way different scene from all those
years rafting in upper state Maine 8^0 -- I'm getting itchy just thinking about
it. 

FWIW - I used S_S_S for the majority of my rafting days and it worked grate for
me, and my skin didn't fall off or deteriorate or anything  -- Although rafting
you have a tendency to mix it with high volumes of water ;^) 

    you haven't been here long enough to see a bad skeeter year Glen...we
    DO have 'em occasionally. I remember a year on Mousquioto Pass were you
    could not get out of the truck above treeline without being eaten
    alive, same thing on Old Monarch Pass several years ago. Fortunately, I
    haven't seen a bad year in about 10, and fortunately they don't like me
    that much anyway (too much beer in my blood)
                                                rfb
    
    do ya'll have geardia (sp) back there?

re: <<< Note 234.54 by CLOSUS::BARNES >>>
    
>do ya'll have geardia (sp) back there?

    You mean "Beaver Fever"? Yep.
    

>                       <<< Note 234.55 by RAISE::GLADU >>>
>
>re: <<< Note 234.54 by CLOSUS::BARNES >>>
>    
>>do ya'll have geardia (sp) back there?
>
>    You mean "Beaver Fever"? Yep.
 

Sounds like something adolescent men get in the springtime:-):-):-)   

Giardia is not as bad in the East as it is in the West.  But, give it some
time, and it'll be everywhere.  15 years back, one never had to worry about
drinking water from a stream in the northeast.  Now... you gotta be careful.

While were on this mosquito thing:  I once got out of the car to relieve 
myself at the Everglades and got as far as the side of the road and I 
immediately ran back to the car as I felt my body being lifted
off of the ground....

And what's this talk about "beaver fever" :) 
happy weekend

Giardia or "Beaver Fever" ain't no FUN at all. For those of you contempating a
trip to the Far East and will be ouside of a major city, Giardia is a serious
problem. To safely drink water in these places water must be both boiled and 
filtered. The later to remove aluvial sediments which generate the same "end 
result" as giardia. Virtually everyone in the far east who does not have indoor
plumbing has the giardia parasite in their body. However, having grown up with 
this parasite, the locals have become immune to the effets. Not so for this
western visitor. 

I had giardia continuosly for my 6 month visit to Asia. Aside from a few days of 
discomfort when I initally contracted the parasite, I was generally able to 
travel about in relative comfort. As this is a "family" conference, I will not
entertain you with graphic details but it is safe to say that I did find that 
if things became really intollerable then a dose of paragoric would make things 
right. While paragoric is addictive, it s taste is so foul it is hard to beieve 
that anyone woul;d try this stuff for other than medicinal purposes. In general, 
however, I managed a sort of symbiotic relationship with the parasite.

After leaving Asia, and journing to Australia, I took some medicine which 
flushedame everything out of my system. After a few days I was back to "normal"
No I won't try to define that term here :-) :-) :-)

My advice is take whatever precautions are necessary to avoid getting giardia.
It ain't no fun.

Jack 

  > IMHO, I don't think it's as bad as people make it out to be. But then
  > again, they rarely bother me. 
    
    No, it's not as bad as people make it out to be...
    IT'S WORSE!
    
    Maybe Skin-so-soft and DEET are not that good for you,
    but is it good for you to have 100000's of bugs
    munching on you
    and relieving themselves into you?
    (why do you think it itches so much??)
    
    Out West, you can actually sit around outside in warm weather
    and only see a few bugs here and there.
    Here, we get CLOUDS of bugs from May thru September at least.
    

 A good sign that spring is not that far off!  Yesterday I saw a display of
grills and lawn/patio furniture at a local store!!  


And the stupor bowl is over, so baseball Spring Training is one day closer!





Jim

    Bondell water fiters make a camping/backpacking drinking filter that is
    gar-un-teed to kill giardia. (Bondell made the first water purifiers
    for the space program)Like ::cutler said, once you get it, you
    ALWAYS have it and are prone to re-occurances, at least that's the
    experiances I've seen/heard of.
    rfb who always drinks from WAY high on the mountain.  

re: <<< Note 234.62 by CLOSUS::BARNES >>>

    >rfb who always drinks from WAY high on the mountain.  

    Watch out for them there whistle pig skweezins! ;-)

    whistle pigs, pikas and weasles!!! all are high country dwellers..but
    the worst ya gotta look out fer is human beans and their faithful
    sidekicks, Rover...that's the biggest reason for the increase in beaver
    fever. 
                                                        rfb

    Spring has sprung in Colo Springs....male robins have been back for a
    few weeks, expect the females anytime...killdees in the parking lot
    this morning with their obnoxious "kill-dee-dee-dee-dees"'s....redtailed
    hawks have babies in the nest already!...first grossbeaks in my
    elmtrees yesterday looking for the seeds that aren't there yet...
    crocous and daffodils everywhere....meadowlarks and fieldlarks just now
    returning....skunk family down the street has babies (so I've heard, i
    avoid them)...and Arlo is in town this week!!!!!! %^)
    
    Springtime in the highcountry???? NOT!!!!
    
    rfb who expects to do some backcountry spring skiing this weekend

    No robins in Western Mass yet. Haven't seen any migratory birds
    either except for possibly a few extra ducks. Plain and simple...
    
    			The Groundhog (tm) lied!!!! :-)
    

The geese are back on the pond here :^)





Jum 

    	it ain't spring yet here in eastern (more like the middle) Mass. I
    can't smell the cowsh!t from across the street yet !
    
    :')
    
    Chris

	maybe you're not looking for 'em Ger...I saw some
	robins last weekend in south-central NH (and I imagine 
	I live in as cold a place as you)...also saw a flock of Canada
	geese this morning having their breakfast in a field
	while I was on my way into work...haven't noticed
	any crocuses yet (I should rake off the leaves before
	they start coming up)...

	Debess

re: <<< Note 234.69 by OCTOBR::GRABAZS "You got me workin', boss man..." >>>

>maybe you're not looking for 'em Ger...
    
    Yes, I look for them and any other species I can find. I'm receptive to
    that sort of thing and wouldn't miss something as obvious as a robin. 
    I take a walk most every morning at the crack of dawn and again at sunset. 
    Lots of activity but all indigenous species and mostly the same pairs
    and/or flocks.
    
    - Gerry

	I saw Robins the other day.  Can't remember where, but it was
	between Marlboro and Charlton MA.  

	And I've currently got a nasty case of poison ivy!  Damn!
	First time in a looooong time I've had it like this.  I figure
	I got it stacking firewood.

	Prednasone steroid to treat it - I hope it works... 

	Ken

I haven't seen any Robins yet but have seen lots-o-geese(tm).

Also saw a crocous peeking its flower up at Digital MKO last week. Spring is 
almost here and supposedly we are going to get our first real snow of the year 
this weekend.

Better late than never I suppose. 

geoff

	At my friend Pam's house in Waltham, her crocus and other bulbs
	are out of the ground by several cm. as of last Saturday.  Even 
	though this is a sheltered location in a zone warmer than even
	where I live in Hudson, it was still nice to see...

	Bob

It is cold now, but, as soon as this cold spell stops, the high temps will be
here very quick.  as far as i'm concerned, it can stay cold for another month...
or 3.,...

	Tuned in the Channel 9 (Manchester, NH) WX forcast tonight.  They say
several inches of snow on Thursday/Friday.  Possibly the biggest storm we've
had this winter!  More snow early next week, too!

Mark :-)

    >> several inches of snow on Thursday/Friday.
    
    YYYEEEESSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!  Alright !!!  Yahoo !!!
    
    ... Bobbb (who's gonna be skiing at Smuggler's Friday/Saturday/Sunday)
    

Crocuses coming up in my front yard in Nashua NH!  Love to see that green stuff.

Maybe if we think real hard, we can stop this snow from coming ;^)

    Here an Andover DECWORLD staging there is a group of robins around.  I
    guess that makes them the official robins of DECWORLD!
    
    dave doin_time_on_deathworld

      Re:65
    
     So randy you have go and brag about spring being here, whats it do
    after your words of spring it snows.......
    
     I've seen a bunch of the same birds "down" here in the Springs, but
    still have a foot of snow up in Divide, can't wait till it warms up in
    the high country, got a real bad case of cabin fever.
    
     Wanta get the motor cycle out and take a putt down the road....
    
     But there is Arlo this week so things aren't bad at all.
    
    
    No want a pickle just want to ride my motorcycle.
    
    
     Divide Dave
    

    SNOW !   SNOW!    SNOW!!!    and MORE SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    come on Dave, I know you didn't get enough x-c skiing in this year yet! 
    Actually with my new awareness of avalanches, i'm a little hesitant
    to venture too far in waht with all the new wet snow. esp. since
    I'll be skiing  by myself this weekend. but....GO LIKE HELL!!!
    
    Arlo tomorrow!! ain't a dead show, but a highly cultural happening fer
    the "Sprangs".
    
    another spring site here lately, gulls migrateing up the front range to
    the lakes up north...prob. saw 100 in the last few days
    where the hell they are comin from,ya got me, Maybe from the Oakland shows
    in Feb?????  
    
    rfb

    Just saw a bunch of robins turn around and head south again.
    
    just kidding...
    I'm sure ready for Spring,
    but don't expect to see it in New England anytime soon.
    
    Actually, Spring in New England is a myth.
    We have Winter from November until about May,
    then alternating Winter and Summer until mid-June,
    when it finally decides to be summer (usually) until mid-August,
    Then Fall starts, running until early November.
    

    that's Park (Bigfoot) County weather! 
    
    9 months of winter 
    2 months of fall,
    1 month of spring and 
    NO SUMMER AT ALL!

                      <<< Note 234.83 by CLOSUS::BARNES >>>
>    9 months of winter 
>    2 months of fall,
>    1 month of spring and 
>    NO SUMMER AT ALL!

Ah, now we're talkin' 'bout the weather I like!!!  C'mon snow!!

    
    Spring????
    
    It was snowing when I woke up (at 6:50am) and it's still snowing now
    (at 12:40pm)
    
    Doesn't look like spring out these windows!
    
    

    It's not spring, it's still winter! Until tomorrow, that is. :-)

    
    Oh, well no wonder then.  :-)
    
    

    yes, pay attention, dammit! ;-)

	and a map...

					Dammit!

    Yeah ! Dammit !!!
    
    :')

And a Deadbase, dammit!

Whoops, wrong topic.

;^)

    
    	Oh the snow outside is falling
    	the ski slopes they are calling
    	it's to Vermont I go
    	let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
    
    	Oh yes I do love skiing
    	all thoughts of spring are fleeing
    	and so until tomorrow
    	let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
    
    	I can't feel any sorrow
    	it's not spring till tomorrow
    	this weather's nice you know
    	let it snow, let it snow, let it snoowwwww ... ;^)
    
    
    						... Bobbb
    

    popcorn snow in the sprangs now...the kind that bounces when it hits
    the ground
    
    rfb (who went out and stood in it for a while)

RE:       <<< Note 234.93 by BOOKS::BAILEYB "Let my inspiration flow ..." >>>


  8^)    

    
    Well, Ger, you were right.  I just had to wait a day.  Today is clear
    and warmer outside.. no snow (falling), and the birds are back!  :-)
    
    

All I gotta say is I'm glad spring is on hold!!!!  C'mon winter!

Hey, anyone up for skiing nextt week, midweek??? Say on Weds?  At Loon Mt
in the Whites?

Spring????  Another 3+ inches fell on Marlboro last night.  It was enough to 
even me get me up early on a Monday to shovel it.  It is supposed to start 
melting quickly when the sun comes out this afternoon.

Scott

    its spring in Central Mass !!!! its snowing on a daily basis :')
    also I cut off my winter hair, as the man that has cut my hair for more
    then 15 years said, It must be spring Chris is here to get his haircut !
    around the ears above the eyebrow and put the back somewhere in the
    ballpark !
    
    Chris

    
    Remember the swallows which come back to Capistrano every year on the
    first day of spring?  Well they didn't make it this year.  They were
    frightened away by the hoards of tourists.
    
    

	I'm hittin' the road north to Loon Mt tomorrow for skiing.
	Anyone up for it?  If so, you best send mail fast!

	Up for it, yes, able to break away, no...

    Well, It WAS spring time in the Rockies last weekend/week.
    
    ARLO Thursday nite was grate. Got everything I could,including my
    t-shirt (Arlo Tour 87) signed by him. Took of for the Mts. Sat. 
    Sat. afternoon/nite we got 6 inches (snow) in Alma. 
    Sunday morning I flipped back
    the window curtain and POP! up thru the snow about 3 feet infront of
    the door a weasel stuck his head and half his body up thru the freash
    snow. Pure white except for his coal black eyes and nose. Then Pop!
    back under the snow to hunt for mice. 
    Took off for the high-backcountry around 10:00am. The snow was wet and
    sticky, so with silver wax I could climb straight up any mountain. 
    Had to ski the steepest stuff to get a run going, (usually I'm on my
    face on the steep stuff.)  Skied up to 12,000, wind was COLD! but
    it was beautiful!!!
    Saw a male and female perigrine falcon and a redtail hawk at 12,000feet. 
    
    Monday one of the kids got sick so we stayed around the cabin, I did
    chores until 5PM then took off to ski the 4x4 road to Orphon Boy Mine. 
    Hour n half to get in an 20 mins to ZOOM out. Spooked a fox goin in,
    never saw her, but read her story in the snow...went like this..she came
    out of the forest where there was little snow onto the 4x4 road, she
    rolled around in the freash popcorn snow to take a bath, continues on
    down road doin little hops and skips just glad to be alive. She takes
    time out to squat (that's how I knew she was a she) to mark territory. 
    All of a sudden she hears/sees some strange lookin creature with long
    arms and long feet sliding up the raod (applyed brakes here) and up the
    hill back into the seclusion of the forest....cool stuff to be able to
    read the forest like a book. 
    skied almost above treeline, was gettin dark so I SHHOOOSSSHHHED out
    without stopping and barely made it back to the Scout by dark. 
    
    Tuesday, packed it up and headed home. Saw two adult Baldies out of
    Lake George on the way home (they are residents of the area for
    years) 
    
    Wednesday, back at work with two cars needing help, a wifes B-day this
    Friday and MAIL ORDER THIS FRIDAY!!!!!!! 
    
    "She's so fine, there's no tellin where the money went..."
    
                       rfb

    randy
    
    	thanks for a glimpse of what life is like in the Rockies.
    It sounds/looks real nice from where I'm sittin'
    
    
    							/
    

    yesterday, whilst going out for lunch, I saw a golden eagle about 2
    miles from my building, CXN2!!!! The road survey crew on the side of
    the freeway had quit work and were all watching skyward as he climbed on
    the thermals. He was only a few feet above the truck when I saw him, I
    could see his yellow beak.  %^)
                                   rfb

    Still no dadburn robins here in the Hilltowns (tm) and still no cowshit 
    spread in the fields yet either (the real harbinger of spring 'round 
    here :-).

 I've had a bunch of little birds hanging around my deck looking for food and
I keep forgetting to clean up the feeder and put it out...maybe tonight,





Jum

  maybe the cows have been eating too much peanut butter and banannas.  :-)

Fishing season opened today; there was a line-0-Ford_Explorers a mile long at 
the Wachusett ranger station waiting to get licenced-up.

There is still lots of Ice in shallower regions of the resevior; it was a good 
year for ice skating.

Fog_who_had_a_dream_about_walking_on_thin_Wachusett_ice_last_night.

    I thought fishing season was year round now.
    
    Heidi

Could be, but today must have _some_significance, since up until today nobody
at all was fishing anywhere on the resevoir, but today there were more than 200 
people dangling their participles...

	Fishing season in MA *is* all year round, with a couple 
	of exceptions:  Wachusett evidently opens April 1, and
	Quabbin opens 3rd week in April (the 18th this year).
	
	Ken

    So how many people are (or wish they were) playing 
    hookie today!  :)  
    
    I'm one for the wish side!  :(
    
    Hoping for an equally beautiful weekend but hearing
    forecasts for RAIN :( :( :(
    
    enjoy!
    
    MJ

    
    I wish I was too!  But at least it's supposed to be in the 70s here
    tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!
    
    

    I'm a wishin' dood, but I'll take tomorrow off. 
    
    Gotta save vaca time for the long weekends around Buzzard's Bay and the 
    islands.

re: <<< Note 234.113 by GIAMEM::CONNORS >>>
    
    >So how many people are (or wish they were) playing hookie today!  :)  
    
    Not me. I don't even get saturdays off. :-( 

    another wish person here...  i never should have left the building for
    lunch...  :^(
    
    				   da ve	

 I walked out, took a breath of air, got a little sun on me and scurried back
into the building cuz I could hear my car calling me to take outta here a bit
early :^)





Jum

    Practically everyone in my group had to leave early or wasn't here on
    Friday.  Soooooo, I couldn't resist!!  Left a 3.  Got home and took the
    dog for a walk in the nearest woods I could find.  Geesh, the streets
    were packed with people.  I just needed some peace and bird sounds.
    
    dave

Well, so much for spring in Maine.  I went up to Sugarloaf/USA to enjoy some 
nice warm spring skiing, right??  WRONG.  I arrived Saturday morning in the 
middle of a mid-winter-like blizzard.  It was nice in that it kept the less 
hardy souls inside and I skiied nice, fresh, untracked powder up to my knees!!  
They even had the Front Face open, which is wide open above the tree line, just 
pick a spot and go!  By the end of the day a foot of fresh snow had fallen.  
Overnight added a few more inches, for a total of around 14 inches of snow.  In 
April.  Just goes to show, you can never plan anything around the weather in 
New England!!

Scott

    send some o that snow out here!!!!
           
    rfb who would like one more ski before end o spring, maybe April 17,
    under a full moon!!!!!!!!!!!!but who's already got the fishin poles
    out!!!!

today's revelation ....

	lots of snow is actually good because on days like today when it
	warms up and the snow melts and everything is wet and has that neat
	warming wet smell to it then it makes me think of spring.  So I
	declare spring days a possibility for the rest of the winter and I
	subsequently declare today a spring day.

Lisa

    Great! Now if we'd get some more snow ther might actually be some
    spring skiing!
            

re          <<< Note 234.123 by MILKWY::SAMPSON "Driven by the wind" >>>
>                            -< Snow is always good >-


Amen my mon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



C'mon Snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


/spring_spoiler :-)

    
    Even though I have 7 unused passes to use at Wachusett Mt this season, I
    can't help but look forward to the spring.  Five more weeks of winter
    officially, but how long before the warm weather?
    
    Bring on Spring!!!!
    
    Hogan

    I think we're over the cold hump as of two weekends ago. Now it'll
    start to get warmer and on the warming slide it'll snow our little
    brains out!! See, today's the begining.
    
    	Bring on Spring SKIING!!!!!
    
    Geoff {B*)

    Weather channel long-term forecast for mid-feb. to mid-march
    is for colder than normal and wettr than normal weather.
    
    - Dave

	NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	MORE WINTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

	C'MON SNOW!
	C'MON COLD!

	:-) :-) :-) :-)

				/spring_disliker!  :-)

c'mon Spring! ;-) I finally get my sorry butt moving fast enough to qualify 
for the Boston marathon and I get stuck with a winter with snow and single 
digit temps. Tough to get motivated for a 20 mile run when the distance is 4 
times the termometer reading.

oh well, to each their own

jeff

If you don't like spring, get the hell out of New England and move
to Antartica!!

;^)

- DC

    
    
       alright!!  enuff of this winter sh!t. if i have to get up one more
    morning to find my car blocked behind a wall of solid ice formed from
    the wake of the plow, i swear i'm gonna crack! and my mountain bike is
    screaming to get outside, along with all my backpacking gear (no! i
    don't own snowshows!)
    
                                            ^dave_searching_for_robbins
    
    

	We're sorry, spring has been cancelled this 
	year due to technical difficulties....

	No refunds either!!!!!  ;-)

    I HEAR YA DAVE!!  I have a new bike on layaway that's dying to come
    home!  Well, one good thing about this weather, my bike can be on the
    installment plan a little longer.  I'm kinda broke right now anyway. At
    least I can stall getting the bike with the excuse of lousy weather
    than of no cash.  :^)
    
    Bike helmets are on sale at Sears this week for $24.95.  Picked one up. 
    Ann & Hope has a wall mount bike holder (for the basement) on sale this
    week for $14.95.  pickin that up too.
    
    dave

    
         the vernal equinox is tomorrow!! just a reminder to Thor to back
    
       his bags!!!
                                                     ^dave
    
    

    ...and the Capistrano swallows return today :^)

    YES!  THEY'RE HERE!!
    
     I saw two small Robins yesterday as I was walking the dog!!!  I heard
    some birds tweeting, which is a very pleasant sound when it's cold with
    snow all over.  Usually you hear them damn crows!  Anyway, me and Shep
    stopped abruptly, looked over to the trees, and to our delight (Shep
    would much rather chase them) we saw these glimpses of red. They were
    ROBINS!
    
    dave

    heard the birds at my house this morning too!!  it may look like winter
    still, but it's starting to sound like spring! :^)

    3-14-94 
    Spring is here in Colo Springs!!!  70 degrees outside today! 
    Robins EVERYWHERE! (gotta get a BIG bell for one of my F*&%ing cats)
    30 crocuseseses bloomed in the front yard, 10 daffodils already
    bloomed, snow drops, giant crocus, dwarf iris all bloomed in back yard. 
    100's of tulips up already. leaf buds on the wild honey-suckel and
    lilacs, fortunately my wifes car overheated this morning (the same car
    that just went 1600 miles to PHX and back without a hitch) so i need to
    take some of the afternoon off to go troubleshoot it...honest! %^)
    
    rfb

>fortunately my wifes car overheated this morning

wow, you really know how to look on the bright side of life

/rich

All of my bulbs have are still under the snow (where they have been for 
three months).

Jim

    all of my bulbs are burnt out or dim...
    
    it's ok...  i like it sitting here in the dark...  :^)
    
    					da ve

    
          less than 48 hours 'til spring!!!
    
          i think i'll tune up my bicycles this weekend 8^)
    
                                                  ^dave

    
    then why is it snowing outside????? :-/
    
    

    re .142
    
    Tune 'em up??  You mean you haven't been out riding yet?
    
    Jamie

    come on Phyllis...you know that old saying, it ain't over til its over!

    
       re: .144
    
           no, so far my riding this year has been restriced to the
    lifecycle in the gym. there must be some serious mud boggin' in
    the woods about now....you've been yet???
    
                                                         ^dave

Spring and snow are definitely not mutually exclusive.  I've got many memories
of spring snow storms.  One fond one of a big snow storm on the first
day of spring when I went with my Dad on a boy scout camping trip.  We were
miserable and cold and didn't want to be there.  But then they brewed up
a huge pot of hot chocolate, and I started playing in the snow, chasing
some of the older kids around (I was underage for scouts at the time, but 
tagging along with Dad and probably an older brother or two or three)
and, heck I was having a GOOD TIME!!!  But the adults decided to bag it 
anyway.  Oh well, wasn't my call at the time, but I wanted to stay.

PeterT

	Yes! we still have another 48 hours or so of winter!  we 
	must be patient...... ;-)

	I took out my new mountain bike on Tuesday.....when I wasn't 
	crankin it through mud, I was crankin it through snow, but 
	that's what's good about Mtn bikes I guess, they do crank!!!

	When I was in Colorado Springs I wished so badly I had my 
	mtn bike.....there was a load of trails all around the
	area I stayed at (Rockrimmon) and it was warm and there was
	no snow to be found......

	Bring on the melting process!!!!	

    today is AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY DAFFODIL DAY
    
    at least here in SHR :')
    
    Spring is here !!

    
       spring is definitely here! it's an absolutely gorgeous spring day
     here in new england...temps in the 60's....gotta luv it! 
    
                                                              ^dave